In general, your doctor may test for Hashimoto’s disease if you’re feeling increasingly tired or sluggish, have dry skin, constipation and brain fog, or have had previous thyroid problems that have not responded to thyroid replacement. Having a goiter or Thyroid nodule is also a good reason to be tested for antibodies against your Thyroid.
- A hormone test. Blood tests can determine the amount of hormones produced by your thyroid and pituitary glands. If your thyroid is underactive, the level of thyroid hormone is low. At the same time, the level of TSH is elevated because your pituitary gland tries to stimulate the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormone.
- Antibody testing. Because Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disorder, the cause involves production of abnormal antibodies against the thyroid. A blood test may confirm the presence of antibodies against thyroid peroxidase (TPO antibodies), an enzyme normally found in the thyroid gland that plays an important role in the production of thyroid hormones. But what happens if this test is normal? Watch today’s video and learn about the other antibody many doctors miss when ordering blood work.
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